Small Batch Wines | 2009 Grenache

Vintage Notes:

2009 was a very low cropping vintage thanks to a heat wave during flowering. This resulted in a very low percentage of berries completing set, and thus impacted crops drastically. This resulted in some very concentrated fruit and fast ripening.

Reviews

Genuinely bright and fresh, with a deep core of almost jubube-like plum and cherry fruit lifted by spicy dark floral aromas, harmoniously backed by nuances of briar and blackberry pastille, blueberries and raspberries and framed by fine, drying and gritty tannins. It’s faintly raisined, but long and juicy, finishing soft and savoury

Nick Stock, The Good Wine Guide 2012, 92 points

This is an elegant, honest and soulful little grenache from the small producer, delivered in a earthy, balanced style that’s made for early drinking. The nose has bright red-fruit aromas, a little spice and liquorice; the palate delivers impressive pure re-berry fruits, lithe tannins and deep yet elegant finish. Terrific balance here too

Ken Gargett, July 2011, 92 points

From an ever-improving producer from McLaren Vale, this is a delicious grenache. Dense, richly flavoured, with good length, nice balance and fine tannins. Vibrant notes of spice, and an attractive mix of blackberry and raspberry

I’m seeing increased quality, verve and excitement coming from Oliver’s Taranga – must be some fairy dust in the winery. Superb ‘alternative’ variety releases aside, the personality filled MVale classics are really coming to the fore. A golden age? Heatwaves may have intervened.

Despite tough conditions, the blazing heat seems to have left little taint in this wine. Sure, it’s bigger and fuller in texture than expected, but it’s far from stewed and overripe. Instead, concentration brings a hint of funky feralness to the sweet perfume of the aromatics and pushes some earthy, savour characters into the palate. The wine drives with red berry and dark plum flavours and shows the soft grip of chocolatey tannins. There’s a blaze of acidity and it feels a bit rigid, instead of the expected grenache plushness, but an appealing kind of wine nonetheless.

“A very silky and perfumed example with layers of subtle, almost floral red-fruit characters given some serious interest by earth and spice. Pure and supple with fine grainy tannins, this is made for drinking over the next three years.”